High School's A Pain
by Wildfire2345
Summary: AU. Lily Evans and James Potter are going to a regular high school. She's an outcast. He's the football captain. She hates him. He's fascinated by her. Check it out! [Need a new title, please! Any ideas welcomed!]
1. Chapter 1

**A.N.** -- This is just a new writing style I'm trying out. Hope you like it. This is AU, and magic won't be mentioned (that I know of so far). Lily and James are just regular teenagers, going to high school. It will take place in America - sorry to disappoint all you British folks, but I'm American and I really don't know how to write daily life in Britain. So, yeah, this should be interesting. If you have any other questions/comments, please leave them in a review! Don't know when my next update will be - hopefully soon!

**Disclaimer – **Oops, forgot to add this. Well, um, the idea is mine, but all the characters you recognize belong to J.K. Rowling, the amazing writing genius that she is. ;)

**Chapter One**

I stared hard at my bedroom ceiling. My eyes burned painfully and I was still boiling over with rage at the nerve of my sister, but being alone with the music blaring loud from the speakers was slowly doing its job in cooling my temper. Great. I'd only been home a week, and already I couldn't wait to get back to school.

It was all _her _fault. My sister, Petunia. Two years older than me, she graduated from high school last year. Petunia resolved not to go to college (the whole 'I'll just find a good husband and _he _can support _me_' deal), and she's been spending the past few months sharing an apartment with her friend, Yvonne. I've only met Yvonne once, and she reminded me all too much of Petuny. Same disdainful sneers, same thirst for gossip, same beady eyes. I did not like her, and she did not like me. Probably no thanks to Petunia's influence.

Petuny only comes home during my vacations, and I know she does it just to spite me. That's just the way she is. Absolutely incorrigible.

The phone on my bedside table rang. It was really a miracle that I heard it over the radio, which I quickly shut off before answering.

"Hello?"

The cool voice of my best friend responded lightly, "My mom's being a pain. Want to hit the mall?"

I smirked. Val and her mother did not get along. Mrs. Bush thought her daughter was too wild, and Valerie thought her mother was a snob with a horrible fashion sense. I suppose the rift was natural.

"Sure," I said. "I need to get out. Petuny jumped on my case as soon as I walked through the door. Twit. Anyway, is Maddie coming?"

"Yeah. She's going to meet us there. Do you need me to pick you up?"

"Hang on a minute." I swung my legs over the side of the mattress and scooted closer to the window, pulling back the thin white curtain so I could peer out onto the street. Petuny, her face coated with a heavy layer of makeup, strode down the sidewalk. Her red stilettos clicked on the pavement, her too-short miniskirt revealing more skin than I really wanted to see. Ew. Nightmares.

Petunia unlocked the door to our parents' SUV and jumped into the driver's seat. I resisted the tempting urge to fling something out the window at her, but it probably would have wound up sailing through the very EXPENSIVE window rather than her empty head anyway.

I sighed, returning to the phone conversation. "Yeah, I'm going to need a ride. Petuny just took the car." Even though my sister and I were both old enough to drive, our parents had refused to buy vehicles for us, insisting that earning the money ourselves would cultivate a deep sense of responsibility. Yeah, whatever with that parent psychology crap. It hadn't done me any favors, since it now had me working a part-time job at a pizzeria a town away. The job took up most of my free time, which I didn't have much of in the first place.

"Okay," answered Val easily. "Be ready in about five minutes, 'kay?"

"Fine. See you."

"Yep." She hung up.

I placed the phone back on the receiver and headed for my closet. Among the colorful array of skirts and dresses (which I didn't know why I even bothered to buy, as I never wore them), I found a pair of jeans and a blue hoodie that would work. They were the same pants I had worn last summer while helping my parents repaint the house, so a few blue and white paint stains marred the otherwise clean jeans. Oh well. Val would have a fit, but she'd get over it.

No one could ever say that Val didn't know how to dress. Her impeccable fashion made her the center of attention wherever she went - besides the fact that not just a few of her clothes flashed a tad more skin than was probably necessary. Val hated my whole idea of dressing for comfort rather than attention, but it worked for me. I didn't need brainless guys drooling after me.

I slung my purse over my shoulder and hurried down the stairs. I opened the door in time to see Val's red convertible pulling up in our driveway. The top was down and her brown hair was a tangled mess. It never would have worked for me, but she managed to make even that style look wonderful. She smiled at me, revealing perfect teeth, as I walked around her car and hopped into the passenger seat.

Val looked wonderful. She had on a light green and white skirt that came just above her knees and a shirt that showed a tantalizing bit of flesh. She would have the guys on the prowl today.

Her bright blue eyes traveled over my apparel and she heaved an all-suffering sigh. "That's it, Lily Evans. We're buying you some new clothes today. An entirely different wardrobe."

I plucked at my sweater. "Actually, I'm fine with this. And thanks to my parents, I've got no extra money for clothes."

Val waved her hand dismissively and started the ignition. "Don't worry about that, Lils," she said. "I'll buy them for you."

I felt my face heat up. As the daughter of two prominent lawyers, Val had her fair share of money. Definitely more than my family did.

"No, I'm okay. I - uh, I don't want you spending money on me."

Val shot me a look. "Why? It's not like I don't have too much of it already. Now come on. It'll be my treat."

I sighed, realizing a lost cause when I saw one. "Fine," I consented, "but we're going to have to make it to the mall sometime today." She hadn't yet moved the car.

Val grinned. "I know." With that, she pulled away from the curb and gunned the engine. I felt my shoulder-length red hair whipping around my face, stinging when the ends made contact with my skin. I clutched my small pocketbook to ensure it wouldn't fly out the back.

Val laughed. "Come on, Lils," she shouted over the wind. "Isn't this the most awesome feeling ever?"

It was, in a way. The rush of the wind through my hair, the force of the adrenaline... Yeah, it felt good. Still, I doubted whether I would ever get used to it.

It came as a great relief when the mall finally entered my line of vision. The parking lot was unsurprisingly crowded, as it always was on Saturday afternoons, but Val found a spot near the back and shut off the convertible.

"We have to walk a while," she said, her eyes calculating the distance to the nearest store, "but it's better than driving around for an hour to find a spot near the front." She reached in the dash and pulled out a hairbrush, combing through her hair. Once it had resumed a tolerable style, she handed the brush to me. "Use it quick. Your hair's a mess."

"Thanks," I said dryly, but I began brushing the knots that had accumulated during the drive. For short hair, mine certainly tangled easily. Mentally cursing myself for not having the good sense to tie it back, I finished and stashed the brush away.

A petite girl with curly blond hair pulled back into a messy ponytail was waiting for us at the entrance. A few ringlets had fallen into her face, and she pushed them impatiently behind her ear. Her elegant face broke into a smile when she saw us.

"Hey!" exclaimed the girl, my other best friend Madeline Gallagher. "I was wondering when you'd get here."

Val shrugged. "Traffic." Her eyes slipped sideways toward me, and she smirked evilly. "Maddie, we have a job ahead of us today."

"Ooh, really? Tell me!"

"We're going to force some fashion into this one." Val inclined her head in my direction as Maddie giggled softly, nodding.

Maddie wasn't as showy a dresser as Val. She was wearing a sundress at the moment - light fabric that I thought would do little to keep her warm in the uncommon chill of this summer day.

I raised an eyebrow at her. "Aren't you cold in that?"

Maddie shrugged. "Nah, the mall's heated. C'mon."

We passed through the revolving doors and a welcomed blast of warm air hit me. It felt good in comparison to the cold I'd that I'd endured during the drive here.

I didn't go to malls to shop for clothes. In fact, I had more fun avoiding them and heading straight for the department stores - good clothes for half the price. With a friend like Val, however, I had more chance of hell freezing over than shopping at a regular store. So we hit the mall. The only good aspect in this was that, no matter which mall you happened to go in, there was always a bookstore. Ah, my favorite!

As Val and Maddie were contemplating which stores to stop at first, I tried to sneak away. "Guys," I said tentatively, "I'm... uh... See you in the bookstore!" I took off, my five dollar sneakers pounding the tile. I could hear them coming after me and I let out a very uncharacteristic shriek. And, being the stupid idiot that I sometimes am, I neglected to watch where I was headed.

So...

BAM! I ran directly into something hard and solid, sending me careening backward until I landed rather ungracefully on my bum. Ouch, did that hurt! As I massaged the offending area, I heard a loud explosion of laughter above me. My own green eyes cut upward, locking with a pair of dark hazel eyes as they did so. I'd collided with a guy!

He was rather handsome, if I had to admit it. With dark, disheveled hair, sharp features, and high cheekbones, he wasn't all-too-horrible on the eyes. I could tell from his smoothly muscled arms that he regularly hung out at the gym - or, at least, that he took care of himself. Still, the thing that really got me was his smirk. It was the kind that said 'yes, I'm hot, and I know it.' Arrogant jerk.

It's funny how you can tell so much about a person by their smiles. And I didn't like what I was seeing in this one.

I pushed myself up, ignoring his proffered hand, and swept the nonexistent dust from my jeans. I knew I would have to apologize because, as usual, it was my fault. But he beat me to it.

"Hey, sorry about that," he said, smiling easily. His teeth were perfect! "Wasn't watching where I was going."

"Yeah, well, you probably didn't expect to have a midget redhead come barreling at you without warning, either." I flashed him a smile of my own. "And I wouldn't have, but my friends are crazy and seem to have some unnatural affinity toward bookstores."

Val sauntered up, forcing back her laughter. "You're such a liar, Lils." She turned to the group of guys. "_She's _the crazy one." Val stopped suddenly. Her eyes, intense, studied his face. "Do I know you from somewhere?"

He squirmed. "Yeah, probably. I'm James Potter. Do you, uh, go to school around here?"

"Yeah ---"

"I know you!" interrupted Maddie, pointing a finger at James Potter. "He's the captain of the football team, girls. Remember? Sarah dated him for a while?"

I instantly got a bad feeling in my stomach. Sarah, one of the girls we ate lunch with, had wasted two weeks of her life crying over this... this _thing _after he had dumped her for a busty blond girl on the cheerleading squad. Oh, yes, I'd heard of him.

"Right," I said as I stepped around Potter and the group of guys behind him, some of whom did look vaguely familiar now that I considered it. "See you in the bookstore, girls."

Val and Maddie sighed, but they let me go. As I stepped into the Barnes and Noble and took in with familiarity the layout of the store, I took a deep breath and tried to force James Potter out of my mind. He'd hurt one of my friends, purposely. What kind of an idiot did that?

Certainly not one _I _was interested in.

+ - + - +

I paid for my purchases and started toward the entrance, where Maddie and Val were standing cautiously as they eyed the bookshelves with obvious distaste. I'd never understand why they hated reading as much as they did. It seemed stupid to me.

Weighed down by three bags of books - and I'm willing to bet each of them weighed more than I did - I dragged myself over to my friends. Val raised her eyebrows.

"Did you buy enough?" she asked. "I thought you said you didn't have any money!" 

"Hey," I defended, "this was my paycheck for about three weeks right here. Besides, I'd rather have a good book than fashionable clothes."

Val snorted delicately (if that's even possible). "We can see that."

Ignoring her, I turned to Maddie, noticing the shopping bags in her hands. "What'd you get?"

"Well, we stopped at Claire's," she said, "and I got a new pair of _the cutest _earings ever! Val insisted we stop into Spencers" - I wrinkled my nose; I hated that store - "and I got a t-shirt there. That's about it. Oh, and I got Jeremy a keychain." She smiled as a dreamy expression passed over her face.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm sure Germy will appreciate it," I commented dryly, using the nickname Val and I had come up with for Maddie's boyfriend. Hey, you can call me mean, inconsiderate, whatever -- he's a jerk! An absolute jerk! He and Maddie actually broke up for a while, and not two seconds after he dumped her, he came over to me and asked if I'd like to go see a movie with him! Idiot.

"Look," started Maddie, "I know you don't like him, but really... He's not all that bad."

This time, I snorted. And it wasn't delicate. "Not all that bad? Mad, you know he's insufferable. He smokes, he drinks, he ---" Oh. I stopped myself right before the word 'cheats' left my lips. Maddie hated it when I brought up his 'flings.' Apparently, it wasn't _his _fault. Those girls just flung themselves at him, leaving Germy completely innocent. Or maybe they slipped and just accidently landed on top of him. Who knows?

"I know he has some... problems," said Maddie uneasily. "But really, he isn't that horrible once you get to know him."

"Well, I have no intentions of getting to know him," I said. "I. Do. Not. Like. Him. At all. And you know I rarely chance my mind once I've formed an opinion about something."

Maddie sniffed, and evidently Val decided to chance the topic before we had a sobbing best friend on our hands.

"Food," said Val abruptly, rubbing her hands together. "Where do you think we should eat?"

I scanned the options in the food court, my eyes lingering for a second longer than normal on a Chinese restaurant. Val must have caught my interest, because a second later she was dragging us over. She snapped open her purse. "Here, I'll pay."

I only agreed after promising to pay her back. Once I had my order of sweet and sour chicken - with rice, mind you - I struggled behind Val and Maddie, trying to carry both my tray and my books. Val looked behind at me and laughed; Maddie held back and took one of my bags. We exchanged glances, and when she smiled, I knew I was forgiven for my outburst against Germ - sorry, _Jeremy_.

Well, let me tell you, sweet and sour chicken with rice had never tasted so good. I shoved it all in my mouth in quite an unladylike way, and had it all downed within three minutes. Yay! New record.

Val watched me, sneering slightly. Maddie was giggling, as usual. I smiled sheepishly and lightly patted my mouth with my napkin, mocking those proper elderly ladies at the next table. Maddie's giggles grew louder.

Val suddenly leaned forward and whispered to me, eyes sparkling, "Don't look now, but I think a certain football captain may be checking you out."

I turned around, subtlety completely lost on me. Sure enough, there he was, the infamous James Potter. His eyes were traveling up from my feet in a very slow, deliberate manner. The jerk! He _was _checking me out! When his search brought those eyes up to my face, I recognized that smirk immediately.

Much to the shock of those older ladies next to us, I flipped him the finger.

Arrogant prick.

**A.N. **— Well, there you have it. Chapter one. Um, in case you didn't know: Barnes+Noble is a major bookstore around where I live. Claire's is a store where you go to buy necklaces and earings and stuff like that. Spencers is just about the most awkward store I've ever been in. Kind of like a step down from an "adult" store. That kind of thing. They do sell good clothes, though.

P.S. - Whoever is reading "Broken", I promise I will update soon! I just needed a break from that story, it was starting to annoy me. ;)


	2. Chapter 2

**A.N. – **WOW! You all ROCK! Eight reviews for the first chapter?! That's never happened before...

I would have updated yesterday, but I decided I didn't like the alternative version of this chapter, so I rewrote it. Personally, I think this one is definitely better. Opinions welcomed!

Note: I noticed a few careless spelling mistakes in the last chapter (I guess my spell-checker isn't as efficient as I had hoped), so I went back and fixed it. Sorry if this caused any confusion.

**Disclaimer**: Let me check... Nope. Not mine.

_Responses to reviews at the end!_

**Chapter Two**

By the time we finished shopping and Val dropped me back off at my house, the sky was beginning to darken into twilight. The house lights were all on, and I could make out a figure moving in the living room through the thin curtains.

"Bye, Val," I said as I shut the car door. As she drove away, I called after her, "Call me later!" She laid on the horn in response and disappeared around the corner.

Sighing, I turned to face the house. The SUV was parked in the driveway, looking for all the world as if it hadn't moved. Yay. More Petuny. Sometimes I can't help but wish that she would just get married and move away - somewhere far away, like England, where I wouldn't have to worry about seeing her again. Then again, the thought of Petuny getting married is still enough to send disgusted chills racing up my spine. Ew. Imagine what her husband would look like! 

Nasty mental image, that one.

With a maneuver I had perfected through years of experience with heavy shopping bags, I managed to push the door open with my foot. I dropped my purchases on the floor, glad to be unburdened of that extra weight. I kicked off my flip-flops and walked into the living room.

My father was sitting on the couch, glasses fallen halfway down his nose, peering intently at the newspaper. My mother was watching her favorite soap opera while trying not to cry. I shook my head at her; I would never understand her love for those sappy romance shows. Fortunately, I missed that particular set of genetics - Petunia got landed with those. Ha, ha.

"What's up, mom?" I asked, nodding my chin toward the television set.

She blew her nose in a tissue. "Oh, Lily, it's so sad!" she cried - very literally. "See, Janine's finally gotten engaged to this really wealthy man and, oh, it's the most beautiful ring ever! And then the minute she says yes, her first and true love awakens from his coma, and now she has to chose between the two. Oh! And what's worse? Gregory's long-lost son, who is really Janine's sister's son, even though Janine was dating Gregory when Janine's sister had him, has finally come back from prison for selling drugs on the street, but you have to understand that he's a very misunderstood youth because he never found out who his real father was - he always thought it was Marcus ---"

I let my mother continue with her rant, effectively tuning her out. Sometimes, it was fun to ask what was happening just to get one of these long lectures. Gods, the things people will watch!

"Did you have fun shopping today, sweetie?" came my father's voice over my mom's continued explanation.

I nodded and rolled my eyes at mom. The corners of his lips quirked upward, and he lifted the paper higher to cover it. He shook his head at me and I poked my tongue out at him jocularly. Bending toward him, I whispered in a voice just low enough not to be heard by Mom, "You have to marvel at her apparent ability to speak without drawing breath, you know."

He raised an eyebrow at me, hiding a grin, but said nothing.

"Anything new in the news?"

Dad shrugged. "Depends. It's always different, but it's still always the same old predictable wish-wash. Nothing worth mentioning."

I nodded. I knew as soon as he put the paper aside I would snatch it up and read it over for myself, as I had since I was old enough to recognize letters - and, according to my grandmother, long before that. It was a story she loved to tell: how I had, as a toddler, sat on her lap while she read the daily newspaper with this extremely serious expression on my face as I scanned over the words without a clue of what I was looking at. I still say it was just my prodigal intelligence showing through.

Mom, finished with her lecture, said, "Petunia's in the kitchen with her _boyfriend_." I can almost swear I heard my mother giggle. She gave me a gentle nudge in the ribs with her elbow. "Go and meet him. He's splendid, as far as I can tell."

I blinked. Hadn't I just rid myself of a rather horrible, nightmare-inducing thought about Petuny's love life a minute ago? Great! My worst fears are becoming reality. That's it, I'm leaving.

No, I'm kidding. However tempting that option may sound at the moment, I'm not sure my parents would appreciate it.

My curiosity got the better of me. Still blinking stupidly, I stood up and left the living room, headed for the kitchen door across the hall. I was about to barge in before my instincts kicked in, causing me to knock instead. Who knows what I could have walked into? Ew!

A sharp "Come in!" from the other side of the door let me know it was safe, but I was still cautious as I pushed the door open.

Petuny was sitting on our kitchen counter, her bony features contorted in what can only be described as a satisfied smirk as I stepped through. I shut my eyes quickly and tried to purge my mind of the image of her practically non-existent skirt - _gross_! Her stilettos had been tossed aside and were now laying discarded on the linoleum floor near the tables.

Beside her had to be the ugliest creature I had ever seen in my sixteen-going-on-seventeen years. No, I'm not just saying that to be mean or because he's Petunia's boyfriend. I'm just stating simple, honest, truthful fact.

If he hadn't been standing close enough to get a good look at, I would have thought him to be an over-stuffed, super-sized pillow or something. The buttons on his suit jacked were threatening to pop off under the pressure of his bulk (in fact, I'm surprised they hadn't already). His thick brown hair was matted to his head with what I assumed to be gel, and his beady black eyes were focused on me.

I squirmed.

"Lily," said Petunia, her eyes never leaving my face, "this is my _boyfriend_, Vernon Dursley."

What a name! I forced a smile, hoping I wouldn't have to shake his hand. "Pleased to meet you. I'm Lily Evans, the little brat. I'm sure Petuny's mentioned me." Any satisfaction I might have felt at that was doubled by Petuny's look of wide-eyed incredulity.

Vernon chuckled awkwardly. "Yes, she has." Petunia choked. I bit back a grin and nodded morosely, as though the subject deeply pained me. Gullible morons.

I plopped down in a vacant chair and observed the unlikely couple - though, if I thought about it, maybe they _weren't _so unlikely - through narrowed eyes. "So," I started, moving my attention to my fingernails, "how long have you two been dating?"

I didn't want to ask, but damned if I didn't know my parents were right outside the door listening to this whole exchange. Even my mother had come to worry about the relationship between their daughters, and I didn't feel like worrying them at the moment. Put on a good show.

Petuny smirked. "A month," was her swift reply.

"Really?" I looked at Vernon with renewed appreciation. Maybe he had more guts than I gave him credit for, putting up with Petuny for an entire month. Gods, I would've broken it off after the first five seconds. "Hmm. How'd you meet?"

"Work." Petuny grinned and reached over to stroke Vernon's arm. I closed my eyes for a moment. "Vernon wants to set up his own business," Petunia purred.

I made a noncommital noise, trying to sound interested. Which, I really wasn't. I didn't know anyone who would have been. But, apparently, Vernon took this as permission to continue.

Vernon cleared his throat importantly and tucked his thumbs in the lapels of his jacket. "I'm going to follow in my father's footsteps, start my own drill business," he stated pompously, as if this made some sort of impact on me. "My father is very wealthy, you see. Very highly regarded with the rich society."

I raised an eyebrow at him. Was this why Petuny was after him, because of his money? Somehow, I doubted it. I knew the real reason was because she could find no one else, but when I saw a sparkle of affection in her eyes I had to do a double-take. Maybe she actually did like him? I'd never noticed this in Petunia before - she always had some ulterior motive. Some reason to date a guy other than love.

I was shaken out of my reverie at Petuny's next remark. "Tell us about _your _boyfriend, Lily," she hissed, her long, bony fingers curling around Vernon's flabby wrist. Her dull blue eyes twinkled greedily.

What was she talking about? She knew I wasn't dating anyone, so why... Oh. I understood now. She finally had something I didn't, and she wanted to press the only advantage she had over me. Okay. Two can play at this game.

"I don't have one," I said lightly, matching her glare with my own cool stare. "Not that I regret it. Guys are just a bunch of overgrown apes with gigantic egos and small brains. Women, as far as I'm concerned, are better off without having to worry about babysitting them."

Silence met my words. Vernon shifted uneasily, and Petunia looked ready to explode. I heard something move just beyond the door, and I knew my parents were preparing for intervention. I didn't feel particularly regretful - she _had _asked for it, after all, bringing up what she knew had been a sore subject after my ex-boyfriend dumped me a few weeks ago. That ache had slowly faded away when I adopted this new view on the male species.

"Why, you little ---" started Petunia angrily, but the door burst open before her tirade could progress any farther. Our parents were framed in the doorway, Dad smiling sheepishly, Mom frowning.

"Is everybody ready for supper?" Mom asked briskly, sweeping gracefully across the room to the oven. "Lily, Petunia, please set the table for me."

I started on the chore while Petunia continued to sit on the counter, doing nothing other than watching me. I was starting to get aggravated with her lack of assistance, but I didn't let it show. Okay, so I may have slammed the forks down with a little more force than necessary, but even my parents were smart enough not to comment. I was in one of my moods, and they knew it.

Mom placed the roast turkey in the center of the table, the stuffing in a bowl to the side, and the corn and potatoes next to that. Honestly, I would have thought it was Thanksgiving if I hadn't known Mom had only cooked more due to Vernon's visit. The smells wafting from the food were wonderful and they kicked my tastebuds into gear, so that my bad mood was momentarily forgotten. I sat down on one side, opposite Petunia, and dug in.

Mom cleared her throat, forcing me to look up from the slice of turkey I had so successfully ravaged. She gave me a pointed look. Rolling my eyes, I wiped my mouth with my sleeve (just to annoy her) and gave her an 'are-you-happy-now?' stare. Mom shook her head despairingly and returned to her own meat, which had been cut up in even pieces.

Petuny was sneering at me as though I wasn't fit to be the bubble gum on the bottom of her shoe, but I made it a point to avoid her. I could feel Vernon's eyes boring into the side of my head, though I didn't turn to look at him. All the attention was a tad unsettling, if I had to be truthful.

We fell into a tense silence, broken occasionally by Dad's absent comments ('how is the weather?' and 'you wouldn't believe how dark this sky is...'). It was becoming almost palpable until my attention was diverted in the form of a loud ring.

Coming from my pocket.

Oops. I must have left my cell phone in my pocket after my shopping spree earlier today! I fumbled around in my pocket for a minute, before my fingers recognized the slim shape. I pulled it out, flipped it open, and answered.

"Hello?"

It was Val. "Hey. What're you up to?"

I excused myself and took the conversation to the hallway, where I sighed heavily into the phone. "Well, it looks like I owe you fifteen dollars."

"What?"

I quickly explained the situation with Vernon, my summarization punctuated by Val's disgusted exclamations. "--- and remember, two years ago, when I told you Petuny would never find a boyfriend and you disagreed? You were right, apparently."

"Oh, poor Lils!" said Val, sounding sincere. "I feel your pain. That time I had to meet Matt's girlfriend..." She trailed off, and I knew she was cringing. I had only met her older brother, Matthew, on two occasions. He was adorable in a surfer-dude type way, with the blond hair and sparkling blue eyes, but he was so clueless about the opposite sex that I often wondered how he made it through the world. Some women were after his looks, some after his money.

"I'd leave if I could, but I get the funny feeling that Petuny might be offended if I told her I thought her boyfriend looked like a whale and walked out of the door." I sighed again. "What are you doing?"

"Bored out of my mind," said Val. "Mom and Dad are off somewhere and Nikki won't shut up no matter how I threaten to impale her in her sleep. Honestly, she's the only kid I have ever met that actually plays with Barbie dolls."

Nikki, the youngest member of the Bush family, was only ten years old. A pretty brunette, she idolized her older sister. While Val found it immensely annoying, I found it strangely endearing. I didn't have a younger sister, and I wasn't sure I wanted one if there was a chance she would turn out to be another Petuny. Still, I liked Nikki.

I laughed. "Cut her a break, Val. You should be flattered she even bothers with you."

"Hmph." I bit my lip to contain laughter as I envisioned my friend's face - Val's expressions were always so predictable. They ranged, in total, from one of sarcastic derision to one of angry annoyance. She did smile occasionally, but Maddie and I were usually the only ones to ever see that rare smile.

"LILY!"

I cringed as my Mom's voice boomed from the kitchen and rebounded on the walls. I said to Val, "I think I have to go. Mom's going to blow a fuse."

"Okay. See ya."

"Bye."

I reentered the kitchen with a smile that faltered slightly beneath Mom's glare. Really, it amazed me how she was suddenly so... serious. Usually, it was always my Mom who lightened the conversations. I blamed her change of disposition on the fact that we had company.

"Val called," I said in explanation of my absence. My parents nodded and when Vernon still looked confused, Petuny leaned over and whispered, "One of the little brats Lily's made friends with." She and Vernon exchanged a small, sinister smile at my expense before returning to their separate plates.

What was that I said earlier about wanting Petunia to move away? Well, I've decided that England isn't nearly far enough.

Wonder how they'd feel about Antarctica?

**A.N. – **What do you think? I tried to keep Lily in character, but this is her character as I see it. Your interpretations of her may vary from mine, so please don't hate me if she seems too mean or too nice or too whatever. ;)

If you see any grammar/spelling mistakes, please mention them. Sometimes I don't notice what I'm typing while I type it. ;)

_**To my reviewers: YOU ROCK!**_

**DracoLovers Of Tomorrow**: I'm glad you thought I caught James' character, and I'm glad you like how I portrayed Lily! ;) Thanks so much for reviewing!

**-KattyKoo-** : Yeah, I couldn't figure out how to include magic and still make it... normal. He, he. Love your pen-name, by the way! Thanks for reviewing! ;)

**BrazilianPrincess**: Hello again! Glad you liked it! I promise I'll continue this story, unlike Changeling, which I still feel horrible about. Anyway... Thanks for reviewing!

**Semi-Crazy**: Is it okay if I abbreviate your name? It's a tad long. :) I'm glad you think it's better than a 12-year-old-wrote-it AU story. ;) Um, tell me if it starts to sound like that, because I'm really trying to avoid that. Sometimes, though, I can't much help it. Nice to know you think the characters are well-developed & I'm glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for reviewing!

**Blossom1098**: Glad you like it! Is this a fast enough update?

**love-horses**: YAY! I've got someone hooked already! Awesome! Happy to know you liked it! Thanks a ton for reviewing!

**DLster**: Glad you liked it! Did you like this chapter? ;) Thanks for reviewing!

**Rubic-cube**: I'm not exactly sure what's going to happen with James yet. I'm just going to let the story evolve and hopefully it'll turn out alright. Was this a fast enough update? Thanks for reviewing! ;)

_Thank you all for reviewing!!_


	3. Chapter 3

**A.N. — **Well, I'm back again! Sorry it took me so long to update this, but I went camping for a few days, came home sick, and I've been in bed asleep for the past who-knows-how-long. It's snowing fairly hard out, and I'm sure we aren't going to have school tomorrow, so I'll probably have the next chapter up then.

A lot of you asked after James. Originally I wasn't going to include him in this chapter, but here he is. I revised this twice, and hopefully this chapter is better than its predecessors.

Note: I made a change in the first chapter. I stated there that Lily worked in a fast-food restaurant to earn money for her car, but I changed that in this story so that she now works in a pizzeria. I've never worked in a fast-food restaurant, so I wouldn't know how to write about it.

**Disclaimer:** Um, unless I've suddenly been landed with millions upon millions of dollars and the talent to write the Harry Potter series, then no, everything still belongs to J.K. Rowling. Amazing lady, she is.

_Responses to reviews at the end!_

**Chapter Three**

_BBBRRRRIIIINNNNGGGG!_

I groaned as my alarm blared at exactly five o'clock, rolling over and pulling the pillow over my ears to block out the noise. My efforts were unsuccessful, as the annoying gong roared straight through the fabric and feathers that were _supposed _to be protecting me from it. When I realized with a saddening pang that it was not going to shut up no matter how long I waited, I grudgingly decided that it was time to start the day. I tore my blankets off, regretting it almost immediately as the cold air stung my exposed skin, but managed to somehow make it down the stairs without falling once. Trust me, that was a rare occurrence in itself.

Ugh. Monday mornings. How I hated them!

I took a quick -- cold -- shower, the icy water kicking the last vestiges of my restful sleep from my senses. I changed into the uniform: a black skirt and a white shirt. Why white, I wasn't sure, because mine had certainly proved to be a magnet for every mess it could find. I'd already had one hell of a time trying to rid my other one of a ketchup stain that just refused to come out.

If there was one good thing about going to work, it was that I got to drive the car. I found an evil satisfaction in knowing that Petuny wouldn't be able to get her bony hands on it until I came back home. It was in this state of mind that I hopped in the SUV and headed to our neighboring town, just about ten miles from my house.

_Antonio's_ was a tiny pizzeria just off main street. A green and red striped awning stretched out over the stained glass windows, drawing attention to the building I would be imprisoned in for the next eight hours. I sighed heavily and parked the car. Inevitable though it was, I really did NOT want the weekend to be over yet.

The back door was already unlocked, and as I stepped through one of my co-workers, Parker Daniels, flashed me a bright smile.

"Everything ready?" I asked, as he bustled around the kitchen. "What can I help with?"

Parker laughed. "I'm afraid if I let you handle anything, you'll break it," he teased. "You're clumsy normally, but right now you look about ready to fall back asleep."

I shot Parker a weary glare, too tired to respond. He was already working when I joined about six months ago, and we had befriended each other since then. Two years older than I, he was almost like the older brother I'd never had.

Parker was moderately handsome, but not breathtakingly so. His skin was so pale that my first question had been to ask if he was sick (and if so, why was he working with food that people had to _eat_), but I'd gotten used to it. I suppose that's just the way he was. His hair was an auburn color -- something I loved, because I knew very few redheads other than myself -- and hung in ringlets around his face. Our female customers thought he was adorable, a fact that I never let him forget. What? If he could tease me, I could tease back!

I listened to Parker hum a melody that sounded familiar, though I couldn't place it. "Is Bella working today?"

I bit the inside of my cheek as Parker straightened, turning away from me to hide the blush that he didn't know I'd caught. I had always suspected he had a thing for our other co-worker, Isabelle Valiquette. Or, to us, Bella.

"Yeah," he answered, voice scratchy. "She - She should be here soon."

"Oh."

Apparently, 'soon' translated into about an hour. Parker and I had everything straightened up and ready when the back door opened again and a tall, slender woman walked through. Her sleek, straight blond hair was just beyond shoulder-length, her cheekbones set high on her perfect, porcelain face. As much as I loved Bella, she always managed to make me feel so small and childish.

Isabelle smiled at us. "Ready for the day?" Despite her French parents, her English was perfect. "Aren't Mondays so wonderful?" Her bright, cheery attitude was a stark contrast to my depressed mood.

"Did you know that Monday has been recorded as the number one day for attempted and successful suicides?" I informed her, my voice emotionless. Bella's smile never faltered; I guess she was just too used to me.

"Yeah, well, that's for people who don't get to work with such awesome people!"

I didn't bother contradicting her. "What did you do this weekend?"

Bella sighed, rolling her blue eyes. "Babysat," she told me, a rare hint of misery creeping into her voice. "Those kids, they just do not listen! Of course, the oldest is only nine, so I can't expect much. Mr. and Mrs. Gregors went out, so I got stuck with them _all _weekend! The baby never shut up!"

Now that I looked closer, I did recognize the subtle hints of a sleepless night: the bags beneath her eyes, the slump in her posture. I did feel sorry for her.

"What did you do?" she asked me, before I could comment.

"Um... shopped, met my sister's boyfriend," I scrunched up my nose in distaste, "and cleaned. Nothing too interesting."

Parker's eyebrows rose. "Petunia has a _boyfriend_?" He looked stunned by the very possibility, and I found that I couldn't quite blame him.

"That was my reaction."

"What's he like?" said Bella. "Cute?"

I blinked. "Not exactly," I said. "I'm not sure what to think of him, actually. He barely spoke to me the whole time, and when he did it was only to inform me of how rich his family was."

"Sounds like a character," said Parker, his negative feelings on the subject blatantly evident on his face. Parker's parents, like mine, were struggling to stay afloat during the hard times so many of us were facing. I knew more than half the money he made here went back to his family.

"Definitely."

We were quiet for a while. Then Bella broke the silence by asking, "So... that was all that happened?"

I hesitated. "Er, not really. I kinda sorta ran into the biggest jock our school has ever seen at the mall..."

"Ooh!" Now I had caught Bella's interest. "Really?"

Parker eyed me. "Yeah, really?" His tone was a little less enthusiastic. Honestly, I loved him like a brother, but sometimes I hated the protectiveness that came into play as a result of that relationship. He had actually confronted my last boyfriend and almost -- I repeat the word _almost _-- drove him off. In the end, it was I who dumped him. Yay, me.

"It wasn't exactly a... er, graceful meeting. I did really _run _into him." I told Bella and Parker the story of the mall -- The-Incident-That-Shall-Never-Be-Referred-To, as I had dubbed it -- and by the time I finished, both were laughing so hard that I thought they might keel over dead from lack of oxygen at any minute.

Parker, now red-faced, was the first to regain his voice. Clutching the stitch in his side, he gasped out, "And I thought you were bad around here! You've never been that horrible --" Parker stopped as his face contorted, a sure sign that he was thinking (everyone, duck for cover!). "Well, actually," he corrected himself, "that time you dropped the pizza on that old lady and her cat _was _pretty ---"

I leapt up, shushing him. No need to remind me of that particular screw-up. Those two traitors didn't even try to hide their laughter. I crossed my arms over my chest and watched with raised eyebrows until they calmed down.

"Sorry, Lils," said Parker, wiping his streaming eyes, "it was too good an opportunity to pass up."

Bella glanced up at the clock and smiled brilliantly, clasping her hands together. "Time to start working!"

+-+-+

I sighed and leaned on the plastic backing of a particularly uncomfortable chair in the restaurant, allowing my aching feet to recover from the bustling work day. I hated wearing heels, but it was part of the uniform and -- unfortunately -- the uniform was mandatory. The damned shoes were now beneath the table, discarded.

"Whoa," said Parker, wiping his brow as he exited the kitchen with a box of pizza in one hand. The other workers were long gone, leaving just the three of us -- Bella, Parker, and myself -- to enjoy the bonuses of working in a pizzeria. He set the box on the table and plopped down in the chair next to Bella.

"My thoughts exactly," I muttered dryly. Whoever decided that students on field trips had to stop at the pizza place rather than the local McDonalds is now on my hit list. Stupid idiots.

Bella gave a little tinkling laugh. "Well, the kids _were _cute. Especially that blond with the little pigtails and footie pajamas..."

"Yeah, real cute," I said sardonically, "especially when they stopped screaming." Which never happened. So I guess 'cute' was out of the question.

Parker dove for the pizza, and the smell almost consumed me. I reached for a cheesy, gooey slice and let the flavor permeate my senses before I swallowed. It tasted absolutely wonderful.

"Try some," I told Bella through a mouthful of food. She gave me a disgusted look before reaching over and delicately removing a perfectly cut slice, taking a small bite. I rolled my eyes at her... manners. I swear that girl belonged on the throne in a palace, not in a waitress's uniform eating pizza.

Bella swallowed and smiled at Parker. "This is really very good," she told him, the dimple in her cheek showing. Parker turned a slight shade of crimson, one only those who knew him well would distinguish.

"T-thanks," he stuttered. "I - um, I'm glad you like it."

I kneaded my forehead with my knuckles, resolved to leave if this awkwardness grew any farther. They could deal with it on their own; I wouldn't be involved. Those two had issues that they needed to work out on their own.

I stood up as carefully as I could, careful not to let my chair scrape against the tiles. Edging toward the door, I prepared to bolt as I called out, breaking their stupors, "I've gotta go, guys. Um..." -- I thought quick -- "Petuny's expecting me to pick her up at the mall." And then I ran.

The SUV was conviently parked right outside the store, so I didn't have far to run barefooted. I debated running back in to retrieve my shoes, but I decided against it, as I hated them anyway. Oh well. Either Bella would hide them or some customers would walk out of the pizzeria with a little more than change in their pockets tomorrow.

I didn't feel especially like heading straight home. Today was the dreaded, once-a-month marathon of Mom's favorite soap operas, and I knew from experience that I would be rounded up with Dad and Petuny to sit and watch at least two hours worth of sappy, crappy shows. Petuny never had a problem with it, but Dad and I were a totally different chapter in that story.

I flipped open my cell phone and dialed Val's number. She answered after the first two rings, heard my plea, and graciously told me I could stay at her house until her parents returned home from work at six o'clock.

"Do you think you could stop by Mrs. Witherspoon's and pick Nikki up from piano lessons?" asked Val before she hung up. "She gets done soon, and I'd really appreciate it."

"Sure," I said. Mrs. Witherspoon's was on my way to Val's house, anyway. "See you in a while."

"Yup."

It was my responsibility to pick Nikki up from piano lessons every once in a while, whenever a situation like this came up and Val decided to use me to her own advantage. I didn't mind, really.

I pulled up to Mrs. Witherspoon's house (or, in my eyes, mansion) in about five minutes. The tall, elaborate white building sat perched atop a hill, surrounded by a sprawling, perfectly manicured lawn. Steep steps led up to the grand entrance -- two cherry wood doorframes with clear glass windows, each of which had a rose etched directly in the center. About five of my parents' houses would have fit in there, with room to spare.

I parked the car and got out, remembering Mrs. Witherspoon's habit for keeping her students locked inside the building until "proper authority" appeared. I really did not like the old lady, with her snooty habits and seemingly incurable nose-stuck-in-the-air disorder. She had a way of making me feel like a small, worthless child. I absolutely hated it.

Flying up the steps two-at-a-time, I knocked on the side of the door (I was always afraid that the glass would shatter). A tall man in a uniform and slicked-back black hair answered. Oh no! It looked as though Mrs. Witherspoon's disorder was contagious! He glanced me over, his eyes lingering a moment longer than necessary on my bare feet. I bit my lip to stop the grin from forming at his expression.

"How may I help you?" the man asked stiffly, sending me a disdainful glare that I returned.

"I'm hear to pick up Nikki Bush," I told him. When he didn't move, I clarified, "From piano lessons. She should be here."

"What is your name, Miss?"

"Lily Evans."

"Not Valerie Bush?"

I raised my eyebrows. "They didn't sound the same to me."

The man's small eyes narrowed. "Would the young Miss recognize you if she saw you?"

Rolling my eyes, I grated out, "Look, Lurch, just let me in, and let the _young Miss _tell you herself. If she starts screaming that I'm an imposter and runs out of the room, then I grant you full permission to chuck me out."

There was a minute's pause, before he said tersely, "Follow me." He started moving, looking as though being civil to me was painful. I did as I was told, trying not to let my face show my wonder at the interior of the house. I'd been to pick up Nikki several times, but the obvious wealth still stunned me. The wood was sleek and polished, the floors shiny, the windows perfectly scrubbed. Everywhere I looked, there was evidence of someone who had run into a great deal of money.

Just like everyone else within a forty-mile radius, I had heard the story of where the money came from. Mr. Witherspoon. As an old man in his late seventies, he had married a lady about thirty years his junior. I shuddered; it still sounded disgusting to me. When he died, all his wealth had been passed on to the then-youthful Mrs. Witherspoon. And that's where it had stayed for the past who-knows-how-many years.

Lurch stopped at the foot of a spiraling staircase. "Wait here," he ordered, before disappearing inside the next room. I managed to remain still for about five seconds.

I ran my fingers over the wall, feeling the hidden flaws beneath my searching fingertips. They moved on to the vase on the table, and the smooth surface of the railing of the stairs, marveling at the perfect texture. It was cherry wood, just like the frames of the front doors, and the dark color meshed wonderfully with its white surroundings.

My hands continued their exploration, tracing the outline of a fun-looking man with raven black hair and a friendly smile. Why did he look so familiar?

"That was my dad," said a quiet voice behind me. I jumped, startled, and whipped around.

None other than James Potter stood there, watching my actions silently. Now here was someone I wasn't expecting to see! His black hair was just as messy as I remembered it from that day in the mall, but his hazel eyes were saddened.

_Was _his dad?

I didn't know what to say, but I choked out a strangled, "Really?"

Potter nodded. "Yeah. Everyone tells me that we look almost exactly alike."

I studied the painting carefully and compared it to his face. The resemblance between the two was striking. "You _do _look a lot alike. Except your dad has blue eyes." I added, almost to myself, "They don't look half bad on him, either."

Potter laughed, that cloud of misery that had temporarily settled in his eyes dissipating. "Mine are my mother's," he told me. "She was beautiful."

"I bet."

We settled into an uncomfortable silence, me without any idea what to say to him. He didn't seem to have any problem with the awkwardness of the situation, seemingly completely in control.

I bristled when I noticed Potter's gaze raking me, appraising me, quite like he'd done at our last meeting. Of course, I'd forgotten that it was beyond his abilities to keep his mind somewhere appropriate! I watched in disgust as a slow smile formed on his lips.

"Did you just get out of work or something?" he asked. I was taken aback for a minute before I realized that I was still wearing my uniform -- and still barefooted. I shifted.

"Um, yeah. How could you tell?"

He grinned. "Dunno," he said, "lucky guess?"

"Aw, c'mon, you're being modest. I'm sure your _amazing _powers of intuition must've helped some." I rolled my eyes for good message, making sure he knew that it was the sarcasm talking.

"May have contributed a little bit," said Potter, shrugging. There was that damned smile again! Didn't this guy have any other facial expressions? "What're you doing here, anyway?"

I sighed. "I'm here to pick up my friend's sister from piano lessons. Why are _you _here?"

"Delilah's my great-aunt," Potter explained. "I've been staying with her since... I've been staying with her for awhile. That's why she has a picture of my dad."

Delilah Witherspoon was Potter's great-aunt? "Oh ---" I faltered. "Well..."

The door beside me swung open and Lurch stepped out, followed by a stern-faced old woman that I recognized almost immediately. I smirked at the shock and disgust that crossed her face when she saw me – and what I was wearing.

"Miss Evans," said Mrs. Witherspoon, her tone laced with contempt. "How... _pleasurable _to see you again."

I smiled brilliantly, knowing it would grate on her nerves. "I know! It's just the kind of thing that'll keep you up all night with anxious excitement, right? I know I've been waiting to see you ALL DAY."

She sent me a withering glare. "Fascinating."

"Yup!"

Mrs. Witherspoon turned to Potter. "James? What are you doing down here?"

"Just catching up with an acquaintance," he said cheerfully, clapping me on the shoulder -- hard, it hurt! I glared at him, and he quickly removed his hand.

"Have you got Nikki?" I asked Mrs. Witherspoon. Her lip curled upward menacingly, but she moved back into the room from which she and Lurch had just come. Seconds later she emerged, a little girl with brown pigtails following closely behind her. When Nikki saw me, her face split open in a childish smile and, throwing herself forward, captured me in a hug around my waist. I laughed and patted the top of her head.

"How're you, squirt?" I asked. "You look a little excited to see me."

Nikki grinned, undoing her pigtails and allowing her dark hair to flow in waves over her shoulders. She sighed. "Ah. That's much better."

"Ready to go?"

Nikki looked at me. "What do you think?"

I slung my arm around her shoulders. "Goodbye all, then. Until next time, Mrs. Witherspoon."

"Can't wait," the older lady said dryly.

"Bye," said Potter, and our eyes met. I nodded shortly, revolving Nikki around as we followed Lurch out the door.

**A.N. — **So? Good? Bad? Indifferent? Did it skip around a lot? That was one of my main worries when writing this. Um, for those of you who don't know, "Lurch" was the name of the butler on the television series, The Addams Family, and McDonalds is a popular fast-food restaurant, at least where I live. Hope this didn't disappoint – I was kinda conflicted about this chapter. Oh well.

_**I just wanted to say how much I love the reviews! They are definitely confidence-boosters! So, thanks to everyone who took the time to leave one!**_

**DracoLovers Of Tomorrow:** Thanx for the tip! Glad you liked how I described Vernon. I really do hate him. ;)

**KattyKoo:** I know, I miss the magic too! I'm debating whether or not to incorporate that later, but then Lily would have to be a muggle... Glad you think it's cute! ;)

**simply infatuated: **Don't worry, he will:)

**Olgreeneyes: **Glad you like it! James is back! And yeah... you did write that he's a hunk... But who can blame you? I mean, really, there's a reason Lily married him. ;)

**love-horses: **Glad you like it! And... (drumroll please) HE'S RETURNED! Yay! ;)

**The Marauderet: **Thanks! I like Lily's attitude too. She's very... straightforward. And yeah, when James finally does show that he likes her... well, it won't be love at first sight, at least! ;)

**rubic-cube: **Yeah, this update wasn't as fast as I wanted it to be... Glad you like it, though! ;)

**xxxxParvati-Patilxxxx:** Glad you like it! ;)

**purtyinpink71121:** It IS a nice image:)

**APRIL26:** Well, I updated when I could. Glad you like it! ;)

**Blossom1098: **Oh God, I'm kinda afraid to answer your review now that I realized how long it's been since my last update... Well, I guess I don't get to escape the physco bitching at me constantly, huh? ;) Sorry.

**Semi-Crazy: **I know! I love how Lily's character is developing in this story, and I'm so very glad you like it! ;)

**BrazilianPrincess: **Glad you liked it!! ;)

**Twinkles77: **I liked that part too... I am currently in the process of reading your story, but from what I've finished, it's very good! ;)

**HermioneWatsonFan:** Glad you liked it:)

**The ORIGINAL Meathead: **Very glad you enjoyed it! Love your penname, by the way! ;)

**Emo-anime-lover66:** I am so pathetic. You have no idea how long it took me to figure out that ROTFL meant "rolling on the floor laughing"! I am SO computer-language challenged! (That's what it means, right?) ;)

_Thanks so much for reviewing! YOU ROCK!_


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